Hindang,
a fifth class municipality in Leyte, has long suffered from
low income and productivity. In response to this, the Municipal
Development Council and the people’s cooperatives
established the Family Income Augmentation Program of Hindang
in 1992.
The
first part of the program aims to equip the townsfolk in
swine and goat-raising. After eight to ten months of caretaking,
the participants of the program get to own the hogs. The
other component of the program is cassava flour processing
where the participants produce ten bags of refined cassava
flour daily and one ton of cassava flakes every week. To
supply the raw material for the processing activity, the
upland areas of Hindang have been planted with cassava intercropped
with other plants.
To
get started, 650 beneficiaries were identified through a
raffle. These beneficiaries are members of the barangay-based
multi-purpose cooperatives in the municipality earning less
than Php1,500 a month. They are composed of housewives,
marginal fisherfolk and farmers, laborers and out-of-school
youths. Once identified, these beneficiaries were oriented
on the program and trained in basic skills and technology
in swine and goat-raising. Funds were released after the
signing of the contract with the participating agencies
and beneficiaries.
To-date,
the program has already reached the fourth-generation recipients
where average rate of turn-over is from two to five beneficiaries
per week. Initially piloted in three barangays, the program
now covers 20 barangays in the municipality. Additionally,
the annual average income of 650 poor households has increased
to Php10,000. Out of the 1,400 targeted beneficiaries, around
650 have been reached by the program and still counting.
Hindang,
a fifth class municipality in Leyte is now well-known in
Tacloban City, Cebu, and Masbate as a reliable supplier
of live hogs and meat. This is due to the Family Income
Augmentation Program of Hindang initiated in 1992 by the
Municipal Development Council and the people’s cooperatives.
The program increased the annual average income of 650 poor
households to P10,000.00 through hog raising and cassava
flour processing. Piloted in 3 barangays, the program now
covers the 20 barangays in the municipality. Out of 1,400
targeted beneficiaries composed of housewives, marginal
fisherfolk and farmers, laborers and out-of-school youths,
around 650 have been reached by the program.
The
initial 650 beneficiaries, identified through a raffle,
are members of the barangay-based multi-purpose cooperatives
in the municipality earning less than P1,500 per month.
Once identified, these beneficiaries were oriented on the
program and trained in basic skills and technology in swine
and goat-raising. Funds were released after the signing
of the contract with the participating agencies and beneficiaries.
Since
the program started in 1992, it has reached the fourth-generation
recipients where average rate of turn-over is from 2-5 beneficiaries
per week. The beneficiaries own the hogs after 8-10 months
of caretaking. The other component of the program is cassava
processing where the beneficiaries produce 10 bags of refined
cassava flour everyday and 1 ton of cassava flakes every
week. To supply the raw material for the processing activity,
the upland areas of Hindang have been planted with cassava
intercropped with other plants. The program actively involves
the people in all aspects of the program.
